Some studies have found that the small increase in energy expenditure related to the rhythmic “exercise” of chewing gum could have some ramifications for weight loss. Chewing gum may also reduce your appetite for snacks throughout the day. Realistically, you have to be pretty inactive to have gum chewing play a significant role in your weight-loss plan. But the research is intriguing.

Gum chewing may play a role in weight loss in two ways. The first is the calories burned. When researchers from the Mayo Clinic measured calories burned at rest and then after gum was chewed for 12 minutes, they found that calories burned per hour increased by about 20%. Gum chewing is similar to the difference between sitting in a chair and moving around your house. Small, but it adds up.

The other potential benefit of gum chewing is that it’ll keep you away from chips, pretzels, candy bars and other high-glycemic foods that go straight to your waist. One study found that people who chew gum once an hour are less hungry for snacks, have less of a sweet tooth and consume fewer calories at snack time than people who do not chew gum.

But chew in moderation. Regular chewing gum typically has fewer than 10 calories per stick, but they can add up. Sugar-free gum contains about 1.25 grams of sorbitol, a sweetener also used in sugar-free candies. Eating more than 20 grams daily (around 15 sticks of gum) can cause the gum to act as a laxative, which can lead to diarrhea – which is not good for your health.

So if you are interested in chewing gum to burn extra calories and hopefully reduce snacking, limit your chewing to right after lunch and dinner, and as a snack midmorning and midafternoon, when you might be having other cravings.